Warehouse door



R. S. PEELLE WAREHOUSE DOOR June 17, 1930.

2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Dec. 5, 1926 INVENTOR %L ATTORNEY.

R. S. PEELLE WAREHOUSE DOOR June 17, 1930.

Filed. Dec. 3, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented dune 1?, Wm?

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ROBERT PEELLE, OE NEW YORK, N. 5Z1,

ASSIGNOR TO THE PEELLE COMPANY, OE

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION 015 NEW YORK WAREHOUSE DOOR Application filed December 3, 1926. Serial Ito. 152,360.

My invention relates to warehouse doors, and more particularly to doors of the so-called canopy type.

lVarehouse doors of the canopy type consist of two sections, the upper of which is hinged to the building wall adjacent the lintel of the door opening, and the lower of which is hinged to the upper section. The lower sec tion is so controlled by a guide rail structure as to cause the bottom of this section to move in a substantially vertical line so that with the application of power toward the bottom of the lower section, the two sections will be caused to fold inwardly of a door opening. Counterweights are used to ensure ease of movement of both sections. Doors of this general construction are old and well known in the warehouse door art, my invention relating more particularly to a mechanism by which, with the initial application of power for opening the door, the joint at the hinges between the two sections will be automatically broken so as to relieve the operator from the necessity of manually breaking this joint in order to permit the actuating mechanism to function. This condition brings the door of my invention within the classification of a full automatic door, a condition which is novel in doors of the canopy type.

The functioning of the automatic starting device is so timed with relation to the application of lifting powerto the door sections, as to cause the breaking and opening movements to be a continuing operation,'and thus relieve the door and the actuating mechanism from the stresses due to the sudden subjecting or relieving of the actuating mechanism of the load of the door. This feature is particularly important when the actuating mechanism includes therein pinch groove pulleys, the operative effect of which is determined by the presence of continuing substantially counterbalancing loads or stresses upon opposite sides of the pinch groove pulleys. By thus utilizing the cables, ropes or other means used in raising the door sections, for automatically breaking the joint between said sections, it not only simplify the construction of the actuating mechanism,but cause the breaking of the joint to be a mere incident to the opening movement of the door, and ensure an accurate timing of this breaking with the initial opening movement of the door.

The construction of the door is such that the mechanism used-for efi'ecting the automatic breaking of the oint between the door sections when opening the door will not interfere in any way with the closing of the door, which closing will establish a relation of parts which will ensure the breaking of the joint upon the next opening movement of the door.

The construction and arrangement of parts is such that the breaking mechanism will cease to be operative following the initial breaking of the joint and upward movement of the door sections, thus relieving the cables, ropes or other flexible connections from undue wear. Furthermore, said cables, ropes or other flexible connections, during the opening movement, are at all times sub ected to the full load of the door.

The invention, notwithstandin its simplicity, may be effectively used in oors of any size and weight, it being not uncommon for doors of this type to have a width of thirty or forty feet, a height of twelve to fifteen feet and a weight of from one-half to one ton, or even more. It will be obvious that the automatic breaking of the joint between the door sections is more desirable in heavier doors than in lighter doors, although it may be effectively utilized with both.

I also provide means whereby during the closing movement of the door, its'weight may be utilized to cause a final closing action without the application of manual force thereto, the means employed for this purpose preferably being adjustable for the purpose of not only taking up wear, but for securing a fine adjustment of parts necessary to secure the desired action of the door.

The invention consists primarily in a warehouse door embodying therein an upper section hinged adjacent the lintel of a door opening, a lower section hinged thereto, co-operating means adjacent the jambs of the door openings and carried by and permitting pivotal movement of said lower section, whereby the lower portion of said section is caused to have only a vertical and turning movement,

' flexible connections with the lower door section whereby with the initial application of power for raising said sections, the joint therebetween will be automatically broken; and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a condensed View of a canopy door embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a side view thereof.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, 10 indicates the wall of a building adjacent a door opening, 11 the floor of the building, 12 the lintel of a door opening, and 13 the opposite jambs thereof.

The door structure itself comprises an upper section 14 secured adjacent the lintel 12 by means of hinges 15, and a lower section 16 hinged to the lower edge of the section 14 by means of hinges 17. The bottom of the section 16 has a fairly close fit with the floor 11 when the door is in the closed position. The adjacent edges of the sections 14 and 16 are preferably rabbeted at 18 as shown (Fig. 3), or otherwise constructed to close the seam between the sections 14 and 16 when the door is in the closed position.

The hinges 15 are so set as to permit an upward and inward swinging movement of the section 14, and the hinges 17 are so set as to permit the section 16 to fold below the section 14 with the opening movement of the door.

The door jambs 13 and the lower section 16 adjacent the-bottom thereof, are provided with co-operating means by which the lower part of the door section 16 is caused to have a vertical movement accompanied by a turning or a swiveling action necessary to the lower section during the folding movement of the two door sections. While this means may take a variety of different forms, in the embodiment of the invention shown, it comprises a vertically extending U-channel track 1920 adjacent and within each of the jambs 13, and anti-friction rollers 21 and 22 mounted upon trunnion fittings 23 and 24 secured adjacent the edges of the door section 16.

To ease .both the opening and the closing movements of the door, I provide counterweighting means, which, in the embodiment of the invention shown, comprises a single vertically movable weight 25, of approximately the combined weight of both door sections. Withthe form of actuating mechanism shown, this weight is a necessary part of this mechanism inasmuch as it not only takes up slack in the cables, ropes or other flexible connections through which movement is imparted to the door sections, but because by its counterweighting action it develops a frictional engagement between said cables, ropes or other flexible connections and the power mechanism applied thereto when both opening and closing the door.

The means for raising and lowering the door sections in the form of the invention illustrated, embodies therein a power shaft 26 offset, as shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, from the plane of the door, and having thereon suitable means, as the pinch groove pulleys 27 and 28, through which power for the opening and closing of the door is applied to the cables, ropes or other flexible connections 29 and 30. These ropes are secured to swiveling shackles 31 and 32 secured to the door section 16 toward, but above, the bottom thereof, and positioned at the opposite edges of the door section. The exact location and arrangement of these shackles and their supports is immaterial to the invention, their location in the manner shown in the drawings having been determined by the design of the particular door and the operating conditions desired therein. The cables, ropes or other flexible connections 29 and 30 after passing about the pinch groove pulleys 27 and 28, pass about guide pulleys 33 and 34, and 35 and 36 respectively to the counterweight 25 to which the opposite ends of the said cables, ropes or other flexible connections 29 and 30 are connected. If desired, a single continuous cable, rope or other flexible connection may be used, and have a point intermediate its end passed about a looped fitting 25 at the top of the counterweight 25 so as to secure an equalizing effect as to the reaches of the ropes upon opposite sides of the door. This, however, is not essential.

Adjacent the meeting line of the tWo sections 14 and 16 I provide means engageable by the cables, ropes or other flexible connec tions 29 and 30 in the run of these from the shackles 31 and 32 to the pulleys 27 and 28 upon the shaft 26, the offset relation of said shaft causing said connections 29 and 30 to pass at an angle therefrom to such means and then downwardly to the shackles 31 and 32. By this arrangement, the initial pull upon said connections 29 and 30 will have a decided component of movementtransversely of the door in addition to the vertical component of movement, and will thus break the joint at the hinges 17 substantially simultaneously with the initial upward movement of the two sections,

This means whereby, with the initial application of power for raising said sections, the joint between same will be automatically broken, in the form of the invention shown comprises laterally projecting studs 37 and 38 secured to the door section 14 at a sufficient distance from the pivots of the hinges 17 to secure the desired ease of movement, while at the same time shortening the contact period between said studs and the flexible connections 29 and 30.

The shaft 26 is driven in any desired manner from a reversible electric motor 39.

While the mechanism heretofore described will ensure an automatic starting of the opening movements of the door sections, prior to my invention it has been necessary to apply manual power to the doors to'effect a complete closing thereof. This complete" closing required the forcing of the two sections 14: and 16 toward the hinges 17 until these hinges had passed the vertical center. This must occur at a time when the bottom edge of the lower section 16 is in contact with the floor 11. To avoid the necessity for this man ual final closing movement, I provide means carried by the lower door section which, by engagement with the fioor substantially simultaneously with the vertical alinement of the two sections 14 and 16, will utilize the entire weight of the door sections'to cause a sulficient pivotal movement of the lower section 16 from said. means to an extent to force the hinges 17 past the vertical center and thus effectively automatically close the door. In the form of the invention shown, this means comprises adjustable stop' bolts 10-41 mounted upon the trunnion fittings 23 and 24 and acted upon by lock nuts 42 and 43. In this manner the bolts, or other stop members, may be nicely adjusted to secure the desired timing and amount of movement of the door sections, or may be adjusted to take up wear resulting from the continued use of the door.

These stop bolts will be found to give highly satisfactory results, but it is obvious that other types of projections may be substituted therefor, so long as the desired overbalancing of the lower door section is secured, substantially simultaneously with, or immediately preceding, the bottom of the lower section reaching its limit of downward movement.

The extent to which the stop screws or other means are required to project beyond the door is but a small fraction of an inch;

groove pulleys or other devices capable of and 16 adjacent the hinges 17, and-a vertical component of movement adjacent the bottom of the section 16 resulting in the breaking of the joint between the two sections as a result of the application of power through the cables, ropes or other flexible connections 29 and 30 to the studs 37 and 38 and shackles 31 and 32.

While the folding action of the door sections about the hinges 17 will, during the initial opening movement of the door, have the effect of slightly reducing the speed of this movement, there will be, so long as the cables, ropes or other connections 29 and30 engage the studs 37 and 38, a simultaneous lifting or direct vertical pull upon the door sections, and a pull having a substantially horizontal component upon said studs. After a very short vertical movement of the lower door sections 16, the studs 37 and 38 will pass from their engaging relation with the cables, ropes or other flexible connections 29 and 30 so that thereafter the door sections will have only avertical and folding movement The interval during which the said connections 29 and 30 are in engagement with said studs is ordinarily so short asto require no special provision for minimizing wear upon said connections as a result of their engagement with said studs.

VVhen the pinch groove pulleys 27 and 28 are used upon the shaft 26, and their use is highly desirable since with this construction a mechanical limit stop is afforded, with the initial application of power to the motor 39, the connections 29 and 30 will be subjected to substantially balancing stresses upon opposite sides of the pinch groove pulleys 27 and 28 so as to develop suflieient frictional resistance between said connections and said pulleys to ensure the desired continued taking up of the connections between said pulleys and the shackles 31 and 32, and the paying out of said connections between said pulleys and the counterweight 25. The quantity of downward movement of the counterweight, in the form of the invention shown, is the same as the upward movement of the lower door section at the point of connection of the shackles 31 and 32 therewith.

By providing a running connection between said counterweight 25 and a single continuous flexible connection, the only advantage secured is the compensation for an unequal stretch of the connections upon opposite sides of the door with continued use.

As the counterweight 25 contacts with the floor, or some other fixed abutment, the flexible connections upon one side of the pinch groove pulleys 27 and 28 will be relieved from the load of this weight, so that slippage the flexible connections between same and the pinch groove pulleys from the weight of said sections.

The studs 37 and 38 are of sufficient length so that with the closing of the door, as the two sections 14 and 16 approach the vertical position, said studs will engage the connections 29 and and with the completion of the closing movement, will be engaged with said connections and thus ensure reaking action at the hinge-s 17 in the manner heretofore described, with the next opening movement of the door.

Since the joint at the hin es 17 cannot be broken unlessthe two sections 14 and 16 have some vertical movement, and since the flexible connections 29 and 30, when opening the door, will always be under tension between the pulleys 27 and 28 and the shackles 31 and 32, the opening of the door will always be characterized by a folding action of the two door sections resulting, in part, from the 11fting of the lower door section by the connections 2930 and, in part, from the swinging of the upper part of said section by the engagement of said connections with the studs 3738. This condition continues until these studs are disengaged from the connections 29 and 30.

Hence with apinch groove pulley actuating means, the portion of the flexible connection between the pulleys and the door sections will, from the initial opening movement of the door, meet with a resistance amounting to the power required to initially break the joint at the hinges 17 and the weight of the door sections after this joint is broken.

The opening movement of the door Wlll be accompanied by a constantly varying angle between the face of the pulleys 27 and 28 and the flexible connections 29 and 30, but this will not in any way interfere with the operative effect of the pinch groove pulleys when such are employed.

The invention may be applied to doors of any weight, or any dimensions, and will have the same operative efi'ect irrespective of the size of the door.

In the accompanying drawings, a door eleven feet wide and about ten feet high is shown, and the arrangement of parts is such as is particularly suited to a door of this slze. With larger doors, however, it may be found essential to change the arrangement ofthe guide pulleys and the flexible connections so as to ermit the use of larger or double counterwelghts. This, however, is largely a matter of the design of the doors and the conditions of installation. Under most conditions, standardized doors may be used, but-the number, arrangement and available space for installation require changes in the design in the running gearing, but so long as the arrangement of parts is such that the flexible connections pass about the studs 37 and 38 at an angle as shown, and then downwardly to swiveling connections adjacent the bottom of the lower door section, the desired automatic starting effect will be secured.

It is. not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparent that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

1. A warehouse door embodying therein an upper section hinged adjacent the lintel of a door opening, a lower section hinged thereto, co-operating means adjacent the jambs of the door openings and carried by and permitting pivotal movement of said lower section, whereby the lower portion of said section is caused to have only a vertical and turning movement, means for raising and lowering said sections, including therein a power operated actuating member offset from the plane of the door, flexible connections co-operating therewith and connected with said lower section, and a fixed member carried by one of said movable sections above the point of connection of said flexible connections with the lower door section, said flexible connections passing about and being in engaging relation with said fixed member between their point of connection with the door and their connection with said power operated actuating member whereby with the initial application of power for raising said sections, the joint therebetween will be automatically broken.

2. A warehouse door embodying therein an upper section hinged adjacent the lintel of a door opening, a lower section hinged thereto, co-operating means adjacent the j ambs of the door openings and carried by and permitting pivotal movement of said lower section, whereby the lower portion of said section is caused to have only a vertical and turning movement, a power shaft off-set from the plane of the door, counterweighting means, flexible connections between said counterweighting means and the lower door section, means carried by said shaft operative upon said connections, and means carried by one of said door sections adjacent the point of hinged connection between the sections, engageable by said flexible connections, whereb with the application of power to said snaft, a positive component of movement transversely of the door will be imparted to said sections adjacent said means to cause the joint therebetween to be automatically broken.

3. A warehouse door embodying therein an upper section hinged adjacent the lintel of a door opening, a lower section hinged thereto, co-operating means adjacent the jambs of the door openings and carried by and permitting pivotal movement of said lower section, whereby the lower portion. ofsaid section is caused to have only a vertical and turning movement, a power shaft oil-set from the plane of the door, counterweighting means, flexible connections between said counterweighting means and the lower door section, means spaced from the bottom of the lower door section to which said connections are connected, means carried by said shaft operative upon said connections, and means carried by one of said door sections adjacent the point of hinged connection between the sections, engageable by said flexible connections, whereby with the application of power to said shaft, a positive component of movement transversely of the door will be imparted to said sections adjacent said means to cause the joint therebetween to be automatically broken.

4. Awarehouse door embodying therein an upper section hinged adjacent the lintel of a door opening,-a lower section hinged thereto, projections upon the side of said lower section opposite the hinged connections between same and said upper section, said projections bein adapted to engage the sill of a door opening slightly before or substantially simultaneously with the sections coming into the same vertical plane, co-operating means adjacent the jambs of the door openings and carried by and permitting pivotal movement of said lower section, whereby the lower portion of said section is caused to have only a vertical and turning movement, means for raising and lowering said sections, including therein a power operated actuating member offset from the plane of the door, flexible connections co-operating therewith and connected with said lower section, and a fixed member carried by one of said movable sections above the point of connection of said flexible connections with the lower door section, said flexible connections passing about and being in engaging relation with said fixed member between their point of connection with the door and their connection with said power operated actuating member whereby with the initial application of power for raising said sections the joint therebetween will be automatically broken.

5. A warehouse door embodying therein an upper section hinged adjacent the lintel of a door opening, a lower section hinged thereto, stop bolts adjustably mounted adjacent the lower edge of said lower section upon the side thereof opposite to the hinged connections between same and said upper section and adapted to engage the sill of a door opening slightly before or substantially simultaneously with the two sections coming into the same vertical plane, co-operating means adjacent the jambs of the door openings and carried by and permitting pivotal movement of said lower section, whereby the lower portion of said section is caused to have only a vertical and turning movement, means for raising and lowering said sections, including therein a power operated actuating member offset from the plane of the door, flexible connections co-operating therewith and connected with said lower section, and a fixed member carried by one of said movable sections above the point of connection of said flexible connections with the lower door section, said flexible connections passing about and being in engaging relation with said fixed member between their point of connection with the door and their connection with said power operated actuating member whereby with the initial application'of power for raising said sections, the joint therebetween will be automatically broken.

6. A warehouse door embodying therein an u per section hinged adjacent the lintel o a door opening, a lower section hinged thereto, co-operating means adjacent the jambs of the door openings and carried by and permitting pivotal movement of said lower section, whereby the lower portion of said section is caused to have only a vertical and turning movement, counterweighting means for said sections, a power shaft offset from the plane of the door, flexible connec tions operatively engaging said counterweighting means and said lower section above the bottom thereof, pinch groove pulleys upon said shaft adjacent opposite sides of the door about which said connections pass, guides for said flexible connections, means arresting movement of said counterweighting means in one direction whereby said pinch groove pulleys may be caused to impart simultaneous movement in opposite directions to said door sections and to said counterweighting means when opening or closing the door, and will be made inoperative to impart further movement to said door or said counterweighting means when movement of said counterweighting means is arrested or the door is fully closed, and means carried by one of said door sections adjacent the point of hinged connection between the sections, engageable by said flexible connections, whereby with the application of power to said shaft, a positive component of movement transversely of the door will be imparted to said sections adjacent said means to cause the joint therebetween to be automatically broken.

7. A warehouse door embodying therein an upper section hinged adjacent the lintel of a door opening, a lower section hinged thereto, projections upon the side of said lower sect.' on opposite the hinged connections between same and said upper section, said projections being adapted to engage the sill of a' door opening slightly before or substantially simultaneously with the sections coming into the same vertical plane, co-operating means adjacent the j ambs of the door openings and carried by and permitting pivotal movement of said lower section, whereby the lower portion of said section is caused to have only a vertical and turning movement, a power shaft offset from the plane of the door, counterweighting means, flexible connections between said counterweighting means and the lower door section, means carried by said shaft operative upon said connections, and means carried by one of said door sections adjacent the point of hinged connection between the sections, engageable by said flexible connections, whereby with the application of power to said shaft, a positive component of movement transversely of the door will be imparted to said sections adjacent said means to cause the joint therebetween to be automatically broken.

8. A warehouse door embodying therein an upper section hinged adjacent the lintel of a door opening, a lower section hinged thereto, projections upon the side of said lower, section opposite the hinged connections between same and said upper section, said projections being adapted to engage the sill of a door opening slightly before or substantially simultaneously with the sections coming into the same vertical plane, co-operating means adjacent the j ambs of the door openings and carried by and permitting pivotal movement of said lower section, whereby the lower portion of said section is caused to have only a vertical and turning movement, counterweighting means for said sections, a power shaft offset from the plane of the door, flexible connections oper'atively engaging said counterweighting means and said lower section above the bottom thereof, pinch groove pulleys upon said shaft adjacent opposite sides of the door about which said connections pass, guides for said flexible connections, means arresting movement of said counterweighting means in one direction whereby said pinch groove pulleys may be caused to impart simultaneous movement in opposite directions to said door sections and to said counterweighting means when opening or closing the door, and will be'made inoperative to impart further movement tosaid door or said counterweighting means when movement of said counterweighting means is arrested or the door is fully closed, and means carried by one of said door sections adjacent the point of hinged connection between the sections engagea le by said flexible connections, whereby with the application of power to said shaft, a positive component of movement transversely of the door will be imparted to said sections adjacent said means to cause the joint therebetween to be automatically broken.

9. A warehouse door embodying therein an upper section hinged adjacent the lintel of a door opening, a lower section hinged thereto, co-operating means adjacent thejambs of the door openings and carried by and permit ting pivotal movement of said lower section, whereby the lower portion of said section is caused to have only a vertical and, turning movement, counterweighting means, flexible connections between said counterweighting means and the lower door section, guide and pinch groove pulleys operative upon said connections between said door sections, and means engageable by said connections carried by one of said doorsections adjacent the point of hinged connection between the sections, said pulleys being so arranged that when passing therefrom-into engagement with said last named means, said connections pass at an angle, thus causing a component of movement to said sections transversely thereof to break the joint therebetween, silbstantially simultaneously with the vertical component of movement necessary to secure folding of the door sections.

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 20th day of November,

ROBERT S. PEELLE. 

